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A review by bisexualwentworth
The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
You know how they talk about right book, right time, right person? That was me with The Luis Ortega Survival Club. Ariana's journey resonated with me in so many ways for so many reasons. Her autism, her queerness, and her messy relationships with her parents were written so well. I loved her character arc and her relationships with her friends, family, and love interest. Sonora Reyes really is the best in the YA contemporary game right now.
This book is ultimately a revenge fantasy against a serial rapist/abuser/misogynist in a high school setting. It is never graphic, and the stakes are never super high, but the subject matter is still dark. The trajectory of the revenge plot was obvious, but I didn't mind because Reyes executed it so well. The ending was a bit carceral for my taste, but I also don't expect anything politically radical from this genre, despite how affirming and liberating it so often is for the target audience and for others who see themselves in these stories, as I did with Ariana.
I am sick of parents in these sorts of books all being Mr. and Mrs. LastName. I was sick of it three years ago and I am even more sick of it now. Is this how many people still refer to their friends' parents? yes of course. But you're telling me none of these adult women kept their maiden names? You're telling me not one parent asked their kid's friends to call them by their first name or by some other sort of honorific? I'm not buying it.
That's such a minor gripe, though, and even though I am not the target age range at all (and despite some unfortunate pop culture references that already haven't aged well), this lovely book resonated with me deeply and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone who is queer, autistic, and/or a survivor and who thinks they can handle the content.
This book is ultimately a revenge fantasy against a serial rapist/abuser/misogynist in a high school setting. It is never graphic, and the stakes are never super high, but the subject matter is still dark. The trajectory of the revenge plot was obvious, but I didn't mind because Reyes executed it so well. The ending was a bit carceral for my taste, but I also don't expect anything politically radical from this genre, despite how affirming and liberating it so often is for the target audience and for others who see themselves in these stories, as I did with Ariana.
I am sick of parents in these sorts of books all being Mr. and Mrs. LastName. I was sick of it three years ago and I am even more sick of it now. Is this how many people still refer to their friends' parents? yes of course. But you're telling me none of these adult women kept their maiden names? You're telling me not one parent asked their kid's friends to call them by their first name or by some other sort of honorific? I'm not buying it.
That's such a minor gripe, though, and even though I am not the target age range at all (and despite some unfortunate pop culture references that already haven't aged well), this lovely book resonated with me deeply and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone who is queer, autistic, and/or a survivor and who thinks they can handle the content.